Top five most decorated players by the age of 23 in football history
These players started winning trophies at a very young age.
Every football player aspires to win as many trophies as they can and become among the most decorated players. The trophy cabinets of some of the top players in the beautiful game are incredibly simple, demonstrating how hard it is to receive any kind of recognition in the sport.
Here we take a look at the five most decorated players in football history before turning 23, ranking stars who achieved incredible trophy success at a young age.
5. Lionel Messi: 11 trophies
In addition to being the most decorated player in history, Lionel Messi is regarded by many as the greatest football player of all time. The Argentine went on to win three more championships at Paris Saint-Germain after winning an astounding 34 at Barcelona. However, at a very young age, Messi’s trophy collection started filling when the forward won 11 trophies by the age of 23.
Messi’s biggest wish came true in 2022 when he played a key role in Argentina’s FIFA World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022.
4. Pele: 11 trophies
One of the greatest Brazilians of all time, Pelé enjoyed an unprecedented success during his playing career, which made him stand out among other football players. He was the face of the national team and the club at a very young age. Pele made football history in 1958 when he won the first of his three World Cup trophies at the age of 17.
Pelé had already won an astounding 11 major titles with his club, Santos FC, and the Brazilian national team by the time he was 23.
3. Kylian Mbappe: 12 trophies
Only a few teenagers explode onto the scene and maintain their consistency throughout their playing career, and Kylian Mbappe is among them who has continued to collect trophies and score goals. During his time at AS Monaco, he led them to their first-ever Ligue 1 trophy.
His performance propelled PSG to break their bank and sign the forward, where Mbappe lifted more silverware, and by the age of 23, he had won 12 trophies in his playing career.
2. Kingsley Coman: 13 trophies
Kingsley Coman’s career has been filled with plenty of trophies. The forward has been lifting silverware since his teenage years, when he started playing the sport. Whichever club the French forward has played for, he has lifted a trophy there.
Following his massive collection of trophies at a very young age, Coman is one of the decorated players in the sport’s history, and won 13 trophies by the age of 23.
1. Nuno Mendes: 17 trophies
Nuno Mendes, a Portuguese defender currently playing for PSG, is the most decorated player by the age of 23 in football history. He has already won 17 titles in less than five years of professional experience.
On January 23, 2021, while at Sporting, Mendes assisted the Lisbon team in winning the League Cup. Victories in the Portuguese Championship and Super Cup followed. The Portuguese international has since then won the Champions League, the French Cup twice, the Super Cup, and Ligue 1 four times after joining PSG. He also added a Nations League to his collection while playing for his country.
Who won the most trophies by the age of 23?
Nuno Mendes won it by the age of 23.
How many trophies did Lionel Messi win by the age of 23?
He won 11 trophies by that age.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.